Bathtub safety device



0ct.'6, 1936 J. B. GILLETT & 3

' BATHTUB SAFETY DEVICE Filed May 22, 1936 nventor Attorneys PatentedOct. 6, 1936 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE &056349 BATHTUB SAFETY DEVICEJames B. Gillett, Marfa, Tex.

Application May 22, 1936, Serial No. 81,312

5 Clams.

My invention relates generally to means enabling a bather to enter andleave a bathtub safely and easily, and particularly to an arrangement'Suspended over the tub in a position to be grasped in the hands whenstepping into or stepping out of or changing position while in thebathtub, and which may be disposed out of the way while bathing, and animportant object of my invention is to provide simple, efficient, andinexpensive means of the character indicated whereby all persons, butespecially infirm and inept persons may safely and easily enter andleave and move about in the bathtub.

Other important objects -of my invention will be apparent from a readingof the following description taken in connection with the drawing,wherein for purposes of illustration I have set forth a preferredembodiment of my invention.

In the drawing:-

Figure 1 is a general transverse vertical sectional View taken through abathroom and a bathtub, and showing the -device of the invention appliedthereto.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken through Figure lapproximately on the line 2-2 and looking downwardly in the direction ofthe arrows.

Referrng in detail to the drawing, the numeral 5 generally designates aconventional bathtub installed in a bathroom which is generallydesignated 6 and which has a ceiling or other elevated support 1, fromwhich the device of the invention generally designated 8 is Suspended.

The device 8 consists of a suitable fixture or clamp 9 fastened to theceiling 'I or other elevated support and suitably depending therefrom isa fiexible rope or cor-d l which will ordinarily depend in the dottedline position shown in Fgure 1 so as to have a position centrally overthe tub and in a location to be easily grasped by the bather in enteringor leaving the tub. While the device is not in use or while the batheris in the tub, the 'cord lil is engaged with a detent ll which ismounted as indicated by the numeral I2 to a suitable vertical supportadjacent one side of the tub, such as the wall !3 of the bathroom.

The detent i l may suitably consist of a hook |4 on the mounting means|2 so arranged that the cord ID may be easily engaged and disengagedtherefrom, but while engaged therewith be securely held in anout-of-the-way position, so as to prevent the cord from interfering withthe bathing Operations, or becoming wet. A suitable hand-hold |5 may beConveniently attache-d to the lower extremity of the cord I to enablemore securely grasping the cord, and for ornamental purposes.

The cord or rope !E will preferably be soft in texture, suggestedmaterials for the cord being soft cotton, or soft cord material, and thecord to have an approximate diameter of one inch. The material of thecord should be such that it will be easy on the hands for all personseven the most delicate lady, yet aflord sufficient grip and be strongenough for the purpose, so that there 10 would be no chance of the cordsbreaking while being depended upon for support by the bather. It isobvious that several different materials would serve the purpose ofsupplying a strong and soft textured cord.

It is obvious that a bather seated in the tub may easily and safelyraise himself by grasping and pulling on the rope while it is in thedependent position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, and that he maythen easily and safely move in or step from the tub While still graspingthe cord, and be constantly safely supported from slipping or falling inthe tub or adjacent thereto.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to 2 be definitely understood that I do not desire tolimit the application of the invention thereto, and any change orchanges may be made in the materials, and in the structure andarrangement of the parts, within the spirit of the invention and thescope of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:-

1. In combination, a bathroom having an ele- Vated support and a sidewall and a tub, a flexible dependent cord attached to the elevatedsupport and normally depending in a position centrally over the tub, tobe grasped by a bather and affording support while entering, leaving ormoving about in the tub, and detent means on the said wall with whichthecord is to be engaged while not in use for holding the cord out ofthe way during the bathing.

2. In combination, a bathroom having an elevated support and a side walland a tub, a fiexible dependent cord attached to the elevated supportand normally depending in a position centrally over the tub, to begrasped by a bather and affording support while entering, leaving ormoving about in the tub, said cord being made of soft yielding materialof adequate strength, so as to prevent injury to the hands of thebather.

3. A bathtub safety device adapted to facilitate entrance and exitcomprising a exible occupant-used pendulous hanger, means for flexiblyconnecting said hanger at its upper end to a relatively fixed ceilingabove the bathtub, and additional means designed for attachment to theWall within the vicinity of thepbathtub to hold the lower end of saidhanger to one side of the tub in an out-of-the-way position whilebathing or While not in use.

4. In a safety bathtub accessory of the class described, a. fixtureadapted to be Secured rgdly to a support above a bathtub, a fiexbleelement Secured at its upper end to said fixture, said element being ofa length to permit its hanging down into a bathtub to permt it to bereadily grasped While in a sitting position, and a complemental fixtureadapted to be Secured to a fixed support within the Vicinity of the tubin a position to permit the free lower end of said fiexible element tobe temporarily and detachably connected therewith in the manner and forthe purposes described.

5. In combination, a bathtub, a fiexible dependent safety hanger elementnormally depending in a position over the tub to be Conveniently graspedby a bather and affording a support while entering, leaving, or movingabout in the tub, a fixed. support over said tub to which said elementis connected. at its upper end, and a wall fixture supported within thevcinity of one side of the tub. to permt the lower end of the fiexibleelement to be releasably engaged therewith while not in use.

JAMES B. GILLETT.

